Electronic mail (Email) is a method of exchanging emails using electronic devices through paid and free email service providers. Email accounts replaced or augmented the old way of sending emails physically.

The use of email is more convenient than the physical mail delivery system. Most individuals and establishments now have an Email address.

Types of Email Service Providers

There are two broad categories of email service providers

1. Email clients: these are software apps you can install on your computer or other devices to manage your mail. Examples are Microsoft Outlook, iCloud Mail, Mozilla Thunderbird and so on.

2. Webmail: is the type of email service that allows you to access your email account only through the internet. The mail exists entirely in the internet space and not on your device or computer.

Webmail service providers allow you to manage your emails directly from your internet browser. Examples of webmail providers include the following; Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, outlook.com, AOL and so on.

List of Free Email Service Providers

• Gmail
• Outlook
• ProtonMail
• AOL
• Zoho Mail
• iCloud Mail
• Yahoo! Mail
• GMX
• Malifence
• Yandex mail
• Tutanota
• Mozilla Thunderbird
• Trustifi

1. Gmail

Gmail is a free email powered by Google. Gmail is one of the most popular and widely used emails worldwide.

Features of a Gmail account

• Gmail is compatible with other wide range of Google services such as Google Drive, virtual meetings, contact synchronization and so on.
• Gmail offers 15GB of free storage for your emails, google pictures, videos and Google Drive.
• Gmail gives you an option to reverse sent emails.
• Gmail can be accessed from any internet-connected device.
• Gmail email addresses can be used to log in and manage other accounts such as YouTube, Facebook and so on.
• You can easily access your Gmail once you have a Google account.

To create a Gmail or login into an existing account click Gmail login or Gmail sign up

2. Outlook

Outlook.com is a free personal information manager(PIM) web app from Microsoft.

Outlook.com was initially called MSN Hotmail which was acquired and rebranded by Microsoft in 1997.

Outlook.com services include webmail, calendaring, contact and tasks services.

To sign up or log in click Outlook sign up or Outlook login.

Features of an Outlook email account

• Outlook mail is compatible with several internet service providers such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari and Google Chrome.

• You can schedule meetings or tasks from the Outlook.com inbox without opening another tab or window.

• Outlook.com allows you to set up message alerts, which helps you track and avoid missing important emails.

• Outlook.com can alert individuals about the emails that pertain to them especially when the emails are shared with a lot of people by using @ ”then the people’s name”.

• Outlook.com is compatible with other Microsoft apps such as MsWord, PowerPoint and so on.

• Outlook mail can aid in contact creation, storage and management.

• Outlook.com can connect other applications to your mail such as Skype, Facebook, PowerPoint and so on, making it convenient to work with non-outlook users from your Outlook mail inbox.

• Outlook mail has a free storage capacity of 15GB same as Gmail.

3. Yahoo! Mail

Yahoo mail service was launched on October 8 1997, by an American company Yahoo, inc.

Yahoo! Mail provides free Email services with optional additional features that are available on a monthly paid plan.

For Yahoo Mail sign-in or Yahoo Mail sign up click here

Yahoo! mail features

• Yahoo! Mail allows integration of other email service providers such as Gmail, Outlook, AOL and so on, which makes it more user-friendly.

• Yahoo Mail has an impressive storage capacity of 1TB.

4. ProtonMail

ProtonMail is an encrypted email service provider with optional additional features available on a paid plan.

ProtonMail was founded in Geneva Switzerland by Proton Technologies AG. Proton Technologies AG also owns Proton VPN which provides a free VPN service.

For proton mail login click here

ProtonMail Features

• ProtonMail offers better email security features than Gmail, Outlook and some other email service providers, via end-to-end mail encryption.

• ProtonMail’s free email plan provides you with one email address, 150 message capacity per day and limited support.

• Proton mail webmail is suitable for anyone who sends and receives sensitive information.

• ProtonMail requires no personal info to open an email account.

• You can generate a mail with a specific lifespan with proton mail. The mail will expire and self destructs after the specified period.

• ProtonMail offers a free 500MB storage capacity. However, you can get 5GB or 20GB on a paid plan.

5. AOL

AOL Mail is one of the oldest email service providers by the AOL division of Verizon Communications.

AOL email features

• AOL (America Online) provides spell-check functions to reduce spelling errors.

• AOL Mail has an impressive Email attachment limit of 25MB

• AOL Mail has Free unlimited storage capacity

• AOL Mail can be linked with other email service providers.

• AOL supports POP and IMAP protocol, which allows you to download and subsequently access your mail when offline.

6. Zoho Mail

Zoho Mail offers an encrypted email service.

For Zoho Mail login or Zoho sign in click here

Zoho Mail features

• Zoho Mail gives you the freedom to have a unique email suffix for example instead of Zoho.com, you have @your company name.com.

• Zoho has Improved mail security with end-to-end encryption.

• Zoho Mail offers a 5GB storage capacity.

• Zoho Mail is very user-friendly and supports integration with Google Drive and other cloud-based managers.

7. iCloud Mail

iCloud Mail is suited for Apple phones, however, it can be accessed online and via other devices too.

For iCloud login click here

Features of iCloud Mail

iCloud Mail Offers 5GB Of free storage, however, more storage options are available on a paid plan.

iCloud Mail can categorize certain senders as VIPs and iCloud Mail will keep their mail in a special folder.

8. GMX mail

GMX Mail is a free email service provided by GMX(Global Mail eXchange) in Germany.

Features of GMX mail

• GMX mail offers 65GB of free storage and a 5O MB attachment limit.

• GMX mail has encryption options with inbuilt antivirus and spam protection.

• GMX Mail has a Mailcheck extension for Google Chrome, which alerts/notifies you when you have new mail.

• GMX mail allows users to set up to ten alias email addresses from one account

9. Mozilla Thunderbird

Free email service provided by Mozilla. It is easy to set up and customize.

To download or sign up click Mozilla Thunderbird free download or Mozilla, Thunderbird login.

10. Trustifi

Trustifi is a webmail-based free email service provider.

To sign up with Trustifi mail click here

Features of Trustifi mail

• Trustifi allows you to select who you can receive email from.
• Trustifi mail has ransomware and fraud detection functions.
• It offers end-to-end encryption (Trustifi email encryption), thereby making your mail more secure.
• Trustifi allows you to set expiry dates on sent mail.

11. Mailfence

• Mailfence is a secure web-based free email service in Belgium.
• Mailfence offers free 500MB of email space, and more features on a paid plan.
• It also has end-to-end encryption of emails.

12. Yandex mail

Yandex Mail is an email service provider owned by a Russian company.

Yandex mail offers 10GB of cloud storage and allows you to sign up with existing Facebook, Twitter or Gmail accounts.

Yandex mail also has a built-in translator.

13. Tutanota email

Tutanota’s free email service is similar to Proton mail and auto encrypts your mail, however, you can disable this feature if you want.

Tutanota’s free email service sends encrypted mail to non-users and it has a small storage space of 1GB.

For Tutanota sign up click here